Friday, May 30, 2008

I found this really great tutorial for how to do these. I am amazed each time I see one of these quilts. Hyena In Petticoats has a wonderful blog full of beautiful quilts. Check it out!I really want to thank everyone for the lovely compliments on my BRB top. So many of you couldn't even find the mistake. It's not just one block. It's an entire quarter of the quilt. The only way to really see it is to pick out a center diamond and try to follow it around. You can't. That's where I screwed it up. It's just a one of a kind now. I can live with that.

And...THANK YOU SO MUCH, TRACEY! Oh, none of you are going to want to read the remainder of this post. I entered a give away a while back and won. My prizes arrived today! Stop now, or you'll be so jealous! Ok...pic time...turn back now....Still looking? Still here? Ok...you asked for it then.....Still looking? Ok...it's too late now. Get ready to turn green....... Isn't it just adorable? Just the cutest littleMary Engelbreit Sewing Box that you've ever seen. I don't think she even knew I had four little dogs and it's got puppies on it! I love it! But wait...there's even more! Note Cards! A little Journal! All Mary Engelbreit! There is a theme here.And nope...it's not over yet.....She made me a thread catcher. The funny part is that I just found a pattern online YESTERDAY to try to make one. I felt I needed one after using my vacuum and having to unwind all those threads from the brush on it. Just yesterday! WOW...not only is Tracey talented but she is a mind reader too! And...last but not least, a bar of Mary Engelbreit Lemon Verbena soap. I'm just giddy! Gonna go sew now....she has inspired me!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Yep. Only one person noticed it. Jean sent me an email and was so sweet. Apologizing all the way about noticing that one quarter of my BRB is on wrong. And she's right. I noticed it after I got all the borders on. So...it's going to stay wrong. The way I laid it out is wrong. One quarter is completely backwards. OOPS! I still like it. It's going on my bed. So, I'll live with it. I didn't see it until I was taking a pic of it with the borders on. Oh well....life is one big learning curve for me. I'll bet some of you did notice it and were just being too polite to say anything. Not that Jean wasn't polite. She was just so sweet about it. Well...I'm off to load a quilt on the frame....

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Ahhhh....the long weekend is over already? I really wasn't done with it. Garry went to our cabin in northern Michigan for his first dirtbike weekend of the year. This means he is currently moaning and hurting. Always happens on the first ride of the year. I, on the other hand, don't feel bad at all....hehehhehheee. I finally got my BRB all pieced together and am now trying to choose borders. Man, this sucker is big! I didn't realize how big it really was doing it in quarters. I just love this one though. Of course, I love all quilts. I got all my clues finished on the Orange Crush also. I'm not sure about the colors yet, but I am loving doing the mystery thing. I think we're going to get the next clue soon. It's going to be fun to see it all go together.

Saturday, I got my hair cut and hit a few yard sales with my friend Val and my kiddo, Cindy. We had a great time. We went out to lunch for Chinese food (one of my favorite foods). It was a great day. Sunday was church and Cindy and I hung out for a while and then back to church. We went to Val's for hot dogs on the grill and Garry tracked me down when he got back into town Sunday night. I just can't seem to hide from that guy. So, he joined us and we just hung out. Yesterday I sewed and Val came over to help Cindy work on her dress she's making to wear for Father's day. I can't wait til it's done, and it's almost there. I'll be posting pics of my beautiful girl in her very first dress that she made all by herself. It really is turning out well. I'm so thrilled she likes doing this. She's already picked out her next pattern and is thinking about fabric choices. She may end up to be some fabulous designer one day as much as she's enjoying this. Well...off to pick borders and then it's time to quilt some of these tops before I start a new one. I promised myself that was going to happen. Can't start any new ones till I quilt at least half of these.....It'll be interesting to see if I lied to myself....

Thursday, May 22, 2008

So...anyone who reads this blog knows that I'm addicted to all of Bonnie's patterns at Quiltville. I'm currently drowning in BRB blocks. It's so big that I'm having to set the blocks in quarters. I have two quarters finished and pressed. I'm putting up pics, but please don't look at the mess...hehehhehhe

I just love blues. Blues and yellows, blues and creams. I didn't know that blue was my favorite color until I started quilting. Strange, huh? I did go pick out some border fabrics yesterday and a few other things at Joann's. Ok, lots of things. My daughter got me a gift card for Mother's Day so I just had to go there. I got myself a bit of fabric, about 10 or 12 yards and one of those clover mini irons. Ok...a few other things. I met my friend, Val, there. Then we went downtown to the Courthouse to file more papers. She is currently Township Supervisor in the township next to mine. I did find out that all of my previous info was wrong. There are three of us running for this office and all of us are running under the same party. This means that I will know the outcome of the primary in August and have to get seriously busy campaigning NOW. I need to order yard signs, work on flyers and then start knocking on doors. Sounds scary, don't you think? This is so out of my comfort zone and to be honest, I only moved out here about 5 or 6 years ago, so my chances aren't wonderful. But...you gotta start somewhere and I'm going to make sure they at least know my name when it's time to vote. If I don't get it this time, there's another election in four years and I can go for it again. I think that's a healthy attitude. And now...I'm going back to these blocks after I make beds and throw a load of laundry in the washer. Val, her hubby, Terry and Garry and I are going to see the new Indiana Jones movie this evening. I loved Indy! Then dinner at their house, so I better get busy now.....

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tracey had a drawing that I entered and .... insert drum roll here....I WON! I don't know what I won yet, but I'm so looking forward to finding out. I'll be sure to post pics when it arrives. Gives me a reason to look forward the mail as I usually dread that task...bills, junkmail, bills, flyers, bills, and did I mention bills?

On the political front...I have more papers that have to filed. I have to into the city to file these at the county courthouse. I'll be doing that tomorrow. It appears, that the only other person running for this office is running under a different political party. That means I do not have to deal with the primary in August as we are running on different tickets. So, I won't know the outcome until Novemeber in the general election. That also allows me more time to campaign. Win or lose, I'm excited about this venture and looking forward to learning new things. I figure that's the best way to go into this adventure.

On the quilty front...I'm working on the mystery quilt that Bonnie Hunter is doing. It's going well and I'm loving my color choices so far. In between clues and when time has allowed I'm working on her Blue Ridge Beauty pattern. This one is going to the ONE for my bed. I just love all the creams and blues in it.

That's all the news that is the news around here. All of you more "mature" people will, of course, remember that line from Laugh In. I loved that show. It was so over the top for it's time period.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Well...after months and months of indecision...I did it. I have thrown my hat into the political ring. I filed today, by the deadline, of 4:00 p.m. to run for Township Clerk. The incumbent is not running for another term and as far as I know at this point, only one other person has filed to run. I didn't sleep a wink all night, mulling the pro's and con's of the whole thing over and over and over in my head. But now...it's done. I really really wish you all lived here, so you could lend me your support. OH...and votes!

I've had lots of questions about what a Twp Clerk does so....I found the responsibilities and here they are:

The Clerk’s duties and responsibilities are statutorily assigned functions, most of which are administrative. The clerk is a member of the township board and votes on all matters that come before the township board.

In addition to numerous auxiliary duties, Michigan law requires the township clerk to carry out three major responsibilities involving township record keeping, financial operations and elections. The Clerk also maintains custody of all township records, meeting minutes, book of oaths, ordinance books, general ledger, prepares warrants for township checks, and financial statements. Maintains voter registration files and conduction of elections is also the duty of the Clerk.

The Clerk must appoint a deputy. The township board determines the deputy’s wage. In the absence, sickness, death or disability of the clerk, the deputy possesses the powers and performs the duties of the clerk; however, the deputy does not have a vote on the township board.

Monday, May 12, 2008

I hope everyone had as nice a Mother's Day as I did. It was a very calm and relaxing day here. Church in the morning, with absolutely no problems getting ready to go. There is usually the "better get moving", "come on, we're gonna be late" "ten minute warning" conversations going on around here each and every Sunday morning. But not yesterday, not one time. My hubby and daughter were both dressed and ready to go on time, without one word from me. Makes me think this should happen every week. That alone was a gift in itself. I even got Joann's gift cards for Mother's day and some more clothesline for more bowls. I think my daughter was hinting that she would like to have one, but she sews and can make her own now. I might have to make her one though, just because......

Ok...get your tissues handy. You'll need them if you're anything like me. My hubby, Garry is to say the least not a very romantic type of guy. He just doesn't have that gene or dna or something. He loves me and I know it, but, he's just not the demonstative type. I'm cool with all of that. I knew it when I married him and I have never been into trying to change him. So, you can imagine my suprise when he handed me a Mother's Day card. I'm not his mother. He's never done this before. Here's a look at it... (tissue time is now)

Needless to say...I'm gonna be nice to him today. I hope he doesn't get used to it!Ok..enought sappy stuff...onto quilty stuff....

Yay...Clue 3 and 4...yep, you got it...DONE! FINISHED! OVER! COMPLETED! and dont' forget FINI! This was so much fun. These blocks are wonderful. That's my Spinning Star block in the pic. I'm getting way too excited about this Orange Crush Mystery now that we are actually making blocks. I can barely wait to see how the orange fabric works into this. I'm loving my colors as well.

In my fabric bowl there that I made last week, are all my other "spare parts" for the OC. Just sitting there lonely and feeling unloved, waiting for the next clue. I suppose they'll just have to wait, much like myself. I'm glad I found the Blue Ridge Beauty to work on in between clues. I also dragged my feet about doing Clue 3, so I wouldn't be on pins and needles for two weeks waiting for the next clue, and the BRB kept me busy. I guess I'll be working on that again now....Chamber of Commerce dinner tonight. Dryer just stopped, so I'm off to do more laundry and then....who knows.....Later!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Ok..I'm a Bonnie Hunter fan. Yep, it's so true. I saw this quilt on her leaders and enders page It's called Blue Ridge Beauty and looks like this. Now who wouldn't want to own this quilt. Or make one. I had to have one. So I found out it was published in here. It's just beautiful. I ordered the magazine a while back and it came right after the new Orange Crush mystery quilt started. Now, I don't have clue 3 done yet, but I do have about 100 blocks of the BRB done. I need to get back to the clues and get caught up there before the next clue is posted. Perhaps on Friday. I have a lot of errands to get done tomorrow and some stuff to take care of before my Chamber of Commerce meeting next Monday night. Life really can get in the way of quilting sometimes. That really needs to change....hehehheheeeI don't know much about copywrite issues and all of that. If I stepped on any toes or didn't do anything right, sorry. I just love all of Bonnie's patterns. I'm an addict and I'm not looking for any interventions or twelve step programs. Just wanna make 'em all....

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

I just gotta make one of these now. Does this ever stop. I gotta go in my sewing room, and sew. I need to "back away from the computer and nobody gets hurt". Ok....I'm not gonna do that and we all know it. It was just a thought. I ordered a Quiltmaker magazine awhile back that had Bonnie's Blue Ridge Beauty pattern in it and I've been working steadily on that the past few days. She has a pic of it here. I just love it. I love the colors and the setting. It calls for 224 6.5" blocks. I now have about 90. I have a way to go yet, but it's just beautiful. I'm using the same color scheme as hers. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thanks again to Jeanne for "learning" me how to do the linky thingie.... Now I can link the world here....Later Ladies....

Thursday, May 1, 2008

That's right. My friend Kristie is at 300 posts and celebrating with a giveaway! Stop by and leave a comment and you might win. Except for Jill...don't enter Jill.Just kidding...but she wins stuff all the time....Go here... Kristie I would make it one of those link things, but I don't know how.That's right...you do see a link there. Said I couldn't do one and Jeanne emailed me directions....YIPPEEEE....Thanks Jeanne